Mascara

ABSTRACT

According to the mascara applicator according to the present invention, the brush  30  is formed in a flat shape, and both side surfaces, of the brush  30,  which define a thickness of the brush  30,  come into contact with the wiper  20  when the brush  30  is drawn out of the housing  10,  and the contents attached to both aide surfaces of the brush  30  are scraped, and as a result, it is possible to minimize the amount of contents which are not used, exposed to the outside, and hardened. In addition, in the case of the mascara applicator according to the present invention, it is possible to apply contents without rotating the brush  30  since the brush  30  is formed in a flat shape, and it is possible to apply contents onto a large area since the contents are applied onto the entire surfaces of the brush bristles  33.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of Korean Application No. 10-2014-0027634 filed on Mar. 10, 2014 with the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a mascara applicator, and more particularly, to a mascara applicator formed in a flat shape.

2. Description of the Related Art

In general, a mascara applicator is a tool used for a woman to put on her eyelashes makeup, and used to apply dark black mascara on the eyelashes in order to make an eye contour clearly defined by positively emphasizing more smooth eyelashes.

The following is how to apply mascara on eyelashes.

First, in order to apply mascara on upper eyelashes, a user adjusts the amount of mascara attached to a brush of the mascara applicator, applies the mascara on the eyelashes by stroking the brush on upper sides of the eyelashes downward from the base of her eyelashes in a state in which the user lowers her eyes, and then applies the mascara by rotating and raising the brush from the lower side toward the upper side.

In addition, if the user raises the brush by flicking the brush in a zigzag pattern, the mascara is applied on the eyelashes very well. Further, in order to apply the mascara on lower eyelashes, the user applies the mascara by bending the brush vertically and then moving the brush on the eyelashes leftward and rightward and then lightly applies the mascara along lines of the eyelashes. The user may delicately apply the mascara for each strand in order to make the eyelashes sharply defined.

A typical structure of an applicator for mascara cosmetics, which are used in accordance with the aforementioned usage and methods, includes a container which accommodates contents, and a closure which serves to open and close the container and has a brush mounted thereon, and the mascara applicator having the aforementioned structure is generally used by attaching the appropriate amount of contents to the brush and then rotating the brush.

That is, the brush, which is configured to allow the user to put on eyelashes makeup as described above, is classified into a brush of a type in which brush bristles are attached to two strands of wires which are attached to one side of a handle and have predetermined lengths, and then the wires are twisted in a spiral shape by the predetermined number of times, and a brush of a type in which a rubber blade, which is made of rubber and has ridges and troughs that are formed repeatedly, is formed at one side of a handle. Further, recently, there is used a rubber mascara brush which is formed in the form of a pointed elastic needle made of rubber and thus has only the advantages of brush bristles made of nylon and a rubber blade.

However, because a brush for mascara in the related art is formed in a cylindrical shape, there is a problem in that it is impossible to accurately adjust contact surfaces with eyelashes while in use.

In addition, in the case of the brush for mascara in the related art, the brush bristles are densely disposed in a cylindrical shape, and as a result, there is a problem in that only a mascara liquid applied on a surface of the cylindrical shape is used while in use, and the mascara liquid permeated into the cylindrical shape is not used and thus hardened.

LITERATURE OF RELATED ART Patent Literature

(Patent Literature 1) Korean Patent No. 10-1242624

SUMMARY OP THE INVENTION

The present invention has been made in an effort to provide a mascara applicator which is formed in a flat shape, thereby minimizing hardening of contents and allowing a user to conveniently use the mascara applicator.

An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a mascara, applicator including; a housing which stores contents and has an opening portion formed at an upper side of the housing; a wiper which is coupled to the opening portion of the housing; and a brush assembly in which a brush is installed to be inserted into the housing by penetrating the wiper, in which the brush includes a plurality of brush bristles disposed in a flat shape, and the wiper is formed to come into contact with the brush when the brush is drawn out, and scrape the contents attached to both side surfaces of the brush which define a thickness of the brush.

The wiper may include: a wiper body which is fixedly inserted and fitted into the opening portion; a wiper slit which is penetratively formed in the wiper body in a vertical direction; and a wiper catching portion which defines an interconnection with the brush assembly.

The wiper slit may be formed in a wedge shape, a cross-sectional area of which is decreased toward the lower side thereof.

A scraper, which is closely attached to the brush assembly and scrapes contents attached to a surface of the brush, may be further formed at a lower end of the wiper body having the wiper slit.

According to the mascara applicator according to the present invention, the brush is formed in a flat shape, and both side surfaces of the brush, which define a thickness of the brush, come into contact with the wiper when the brush is drawn out of the housing, and the contents attached to both side surfaces of the brush are scraped, and as a result, it is possible to minimize the amount of contents which are not used, exposed to the outside, and hardened.

In addition, in the case of the mascara applicator according to the present invention, it is possible to apply contents without rotating the brush since the brush is formed in a flat shape, and it is possible to apply contents onto a large area since the contents are applied onto the entire surfaces of the brush bristles.

Since the brush of the mascara applicator according to the present exemplary embodiment is formed to have a small thickness, the contents, which has permeated between the brush bristles, may be used and consumed, and as a result, it is possible to minimize hardening of the contents.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a mascara applicator according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partially exploded perspective view of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional front view of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of part A illustrated in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional side view of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of part B illustrated in FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating a brush in FIG. 3.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged view of part C illustrated in FIG. 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Hereinafter, the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

However, in the description of the present invention, the specific descriptions of publicly known related functions or configurations will be omitted when it is determined that the specific descriptions may unnecessarily obscure the subject matter of the present invention. It is noted in advance that if the parts are different from each other even though the same terms are used to describe the parts, different reference numerals will be assigned to the parts.

Further, the terms used in the description are defined considering the functions of the present disclosure and may vary depending on the intention or usual practice of a user such as an experimenter and a measurer. Therefore, the definitions should be made based on the entire contents of the present specification.

In the present specification, the terms such as “first” and “second” may be used to describe various constituent elements, but the constituent elements should not be limited by the terms. These terms are used only to distinguish one constituent element from another constituent element. For example, a first component may be named a second component and similarly, the second component may also be named the first component, without departing from the scope of the present invention. The term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of a plurality of the associated listed items.

Terms used in the present specification are used only to describe specific -exemplary embodiments, and are not intended to limit the present invention. Singular expressions used herein include plurals expressions unless they have definitely opposite meanings in the context.

All terms used herein including technical or scientific terms have the same meanings as meanings which are generally understood by those skilled in the technical field to which the present invention pertains unless they are differently defined. Terms defined in a generally used dictionary shall be construed that they have meanings matching those in the context of a related art, and shall not be construed in ideal or excessively formal meanings unless they are clearly defined in the present specification.

In addition, unless otherwise described, the word “comprise” and variations such as “comprises” or “comprising” will be understood to imply the inclusion of stated elements, not the exclusion of any other elements.

Hereinafter, specific contents of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a mascara applicator according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a partially exploded perspective view of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of FIG. 1, FIG. 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of FIG. 1, FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of part A illustrated in FIG. 4, FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional side view of FIG. 1, FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of part B illustrated in FIG. 6, FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating a brush in FIG. 3, and FIG. 9 is an enlarged view of part C illustrated in FIG. 8.

As illustrated, a mascara applicator according to the present exemplary embodiment includes a housing 10 which stores contents and has an opening portion 12 at an upper side of the housing 10, a wiper 20 which is coupled to the opening portion 12 of the housing 10, a brush assembly 40 which has a brush 30 installed to be inserted into the housing 10 by penetrating the wiper 20, and a cap 50 which is detachably coupled at the upper side of the housing 10 so as to cover the brush assembly 40.

The housing 10 is formed in the form of a container, a storage space 11 is formed in the housing 10 so as to store contents, and the housing 10 has the opening portion 12 to which the wiper 20 is coupled.

Here, the housing 10 further has a fitting portion 14 that protrudes upward in order to be coupled to the cap 50, and the opening portion 12 is formed in the fitting portion 14.

The wiper 20 includes a wiper body 22 which is fixedly inserted and fitted into the opening portion 12, a wiper slit 24 which is formed to penetrate the wiper body 22 in a vertical direction, a wiper top 26 which is formed on the wiper body 22 and closely attached to and caught by an upper end of the fitting portion 14 of the housing 10, and a wiper catching portion 28 which defines an interconnection with the brush assembly 40.

The wiper slit 24 is formed such that a plane cross section thereof has a quadrangular shape, and a cross-sectional area thereof is decreased toward the lower side. To this end, an inner surface 23 of the wiper body 22, which defines the wiper slit 24, is formed as an inclined surface.

In the present exemplary embodiment, a plane cross section of the wiper slit 24 is formed in a rectangular shape, and in the present exemplary embodiment, a front cross section of the wiper slit 24 is formed in a wedge shape.

The wiper top 26 is formed to be caught at an upper end of the opening portion 12, and the wiper 20 is fixed to the housing 10 by means of the wiper top 26.

Further, the wiper 20 is formed such that only the wiper slit 24 and the wiper top 26 is visible from the outside when the wiper 20 coupled to the housing 10.

Unlike the existing mascara brush, the brush 30 is formed in a flat shape, and the contents are applied only onto an edge of the brush 30.

In the case of the brush 30, a plurality of brush bristles 33 is disposed between two long metal wires 31 and 32, and then the metal wires 31 and 32 are twisted in a spiral shape, thereby fixing the brush bristles 33.

Here, the brush bristles 33 are spread in a flat shape in a horizontal direction in a state in which the brush bristles 33 are fixed to the metal wires 31 and 32, and brush bristles 33 do not protrude in a vertical direction.

That is, the brush bristles 33 of the brush 30 are formed in the horizontal direction in a state in which the brush bristles 33 are fixed between the metal wires 31 and 32.

In the present exemplary embodiment, the shape in which the plurality of the brush bristles 33 is fixed to the metal wires 31 and 32 is defined as a brush group 35, and the brush group 35 includes a first brush group 36 which protrudes leftward from the metal wires 31 and 32, and a second brush, group 37 which protrudes rightward.

Here, a lower end 35 a of the brush group 35 has a narrower width than an upper end of the brush group 35, and as a result, the brush group 35 is easily inserted into and drawn out of the wiper slit 24.

In addition, a tapered portion 38, where lengths of the brush bristles 33 are gradually decreased, is formed at an end of each the first and second brush groups 36 and 37, and as a result, the brush 30 is entirely formed in a flat wedge shape.

The brush assembly 40 includes the flat brush 30, a brush rod 60 to which the brush 30 is fixed and which is disposed to penetrate the wiper 20, and a handle 70 which is coupled to the brush rod 60, and formed to protrude toward the outside of the housing 10 so as to allow a user to hold the handle 70.

The brush rod 60 includes a rod portion 62 to which the brush 30 fixed, and a brush fixing portion 68 which is formed to be connected with the rod portion 62 and detachably fixed to and fitted with the wiper 20.

The rod portion 62 is formed in the form of a long wand, and may be inserted into the housing 10 by penetrating the wiper 20, and the brush 30 is fixed to a lower end of the rod portion 62.

The brush fixing portion 68 corresponds to the wiper catching portion 28 and defines an interconnection with the wiper catching portion 28. In the present exemplary embodiment, the wiper catching portion 28 protrudes toward the brush assembly 40, and a concave groove 67 is formed in the brush fixing portion 68, thereby defining an interconnection.

Unlike the present exemplary embodiment, the wiper catching portion 28 and the brush fixing portion 68 may have shapes contrary to those described above.

In addition, a stopper 29, which supports a lower end of the brush fixing portion 68 and inhibits the brush assembly 40 from moving, is further formed in the wiper 20.

Further, a scraper 27, which is closely attached to the rod portion 62 and scrapes contents attached to a surface of the rod portion 62, is formed at a lower end of the wiper body 22 having the wiper slit 24.

Here, the wiper slit 24 is formed at the lower end of the wiper 20 so as to allow the brush 30 to pass through the wiper slit 24, and the scraper 27 minimizes the amount of contents which are not used and exposed to the outside of the housing 10.

In addition, the scraper 27 scrapes contents attached to one side surface and the other side surface of the brush 30 formed in a flat shape, and returns the contents back into the housing 10, and as a result, it is possible to inhibit the contents, which are not used, from being exposed to the outside and hardened.

In the present exemplary embodiment, the handle 70 is manufactured as a separate component from the brush rod 60 and assembled, but the handle 70 may be formed integrally with the brush rod 60 in contrast to the present exemplary embodiment.

The handle 70 is positioned above the housing 10 when the handle 70 is coupled to the housing 10, and the user may draw out the handle 70 and expose the brush 30, which is positioned in the housing 10, to the outside.

Hereinafter, a process of using the mascara applicator according to the present exemplary embodiment will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings.

First, in order to draw the brush assembly 40 out of the housing 10, the user separates the cap 50 from the housing 10, and then holds and pulls the handle 70, such that the brush assembly 40 is separated from the housing 10.

Here, during the process of separating the brush assembly 40, the interconnection between the brush fixing portion 68 of the brush assembly 40 and the wiper catching portion 28 is released.

Thereafter, the rod portion 62 is drawn out through the wiper slit 24, and during the process of drawing out the rod portion 62, contents attached to the surface of the rod portion 62 are removed by the scraper 27 formed on the wiper 20 and then stored in the housing 10.

In addition, when the brush 30 passes through the wiper slit 24, the contents attached to both side surfaces of the brush 30 are also removed by the wiper slit 24 and returns back into the housing 10.

Here, since the brush 30 is formed in a flat shape having a small thickness, it is possible to minimize the amount of contents attached to the surfaces of the brush bristles 30, and to minimize the amount of contents which are unnecessarily attached to the surfaces of the brush bristles 30, exposed to the outside, and hardened.

That is, in the case of the brush in the related art which has a cylindrical shape, the brush is drawn out in a state in which contents are attached to the entire surface of the cylindrical shape even in a case in which only a part of the contents attached to the entire surface of the cylindrical shape is used, and as a result, there is a problem in that the brush cannot be used because the contents, which are not used, is hardened.

According to the brash 30 according to the present exemplary embodiment, both sides of the brush 30, which define a thickness of the brush 30, come into contact with the wiper 20 when the brush 30 is drawn out of the housing 10, and the contents attached to both sides surfaces are scraped, and as a result, it is possible to minimize the amount of contents which are not used, exposed to the outside, and hardened.

In addition, since the contents are applied in a longitudinal direction of the brush bristles 33 that come into contact with the user's eyelashes, it is possible to effectively apply mascara, which is the contents, onto the eyelashes.

That is, because the mascara applicator in the related art is formed in a cylindrical shape, the contents are mainly applied onto the surface of the cylindrical shape, and as a result, the user needs to apply mascara onto the eyelashes by rotating the brush having a cylindrical shape when using the mascara applicator.

However, in the case of the mascara applicator according to the present exemplary embodiment, it is possible to apply contents without rotating the brush 30 since the brush 30 is formed in a flat shape, and it is possible to apply contents onto a large area since the contents are applied onto the entire surfaces of the brush bristles 33.

In particular, because the brush of the mascara applicator in the related art has a structure in which if contents permeates into the brush having a cylindrical shape, the contents cannot come out of the brush, and as a result, the contents is inevitably hardened. However, since the brush according to the present exemplary embodiment is formed to have a small thickness, the contents, which has permeated between the brush bristles 33, may be used and consumed, and as a result, it is possible to minimize hardening of the contents.

While the exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, the present invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments disclosed above but will be implemented in various different forms, and those skilled in the art will understand that the present invention may be implemented in any other specific form without changing the technical spirit or an essential feature of the present invention. Therefore, it should be understood that the above-described exemplary embodiments are illustrative in all aspects and do not limit the present invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A mascara applicator comprising: a housing which stores contents and has an opening portion formed at an upper side of the housing; a wiper which is coupled to the opening portion of the housing; and a brush assembly in which a brush is installed to be inserted into the housing by penetrating the wiper, wherein the brush includes a plurality of brush bristles disposed in a flat shape, and the wiper is formed to come into contact with the brush when the brush is drawn out, and scrape the contents attached to both side surfaces of the brush which define a thickness of the brush.
 2. The mascara applicator of claim 1, wherein the wiper includes: a wiper body which is fixedly inserted and fitted into the opening portion; a wiper slit which is penetratively formed in the wiper body in a vertical direction; and a wiper catching portion which defines an interconnection with the brush assembly.
 3. The mascara applicator of claim 2, wherein the wiper slit is formed in a wedge shape, a cross-sectional area of which is decreased toward the lower side thereof.
 4. The mascara applicator of claim 1, wherein a scraper, which is closely attached to the brush assembly and scrapes contents attached to a surface of the brush, is further formed at a lower end of the wiper body-having the wiper slit. 